Varutha Paruppu Kuzhambu

This is the most favourite kuzhambu in our family. My amma makes it very often and it is never boring . It tastes so good with the fried vathal (rice crispies).

Before digging in the ingredients, I need to tell you about the vadagams (seasoning balls) we make in our region. It is a mix of mustard seeds, urad dall, gram dall, crushed garlic , crushed onion, curry leaves , fenugreek seeds. In the summer when the onion are sold cheaper, our ladies prepare these balls for the whole year ahead. They crush onion and garlic, mix the other ingerdients along with oil. Make balls and sun dry it for several days . These are preserved in porcelain containers . It has for itself a special aroma and is much simpler way of doing the thalippu (தாளிப்பு)/popu.

Now to the dish:

Ingredients:

Toor dall- 1/3 cup

Cumin seeds/jeera- 1 tsp

Peppercorns- 10 nos

fenugreek seeds-1 tsp

Red chillies- 5 nos

vadagam- 1/3 ball

medium yellow Onion -1

Plum tomato- 1

Garlic- 3 cloves

Canola oil- 1 tbsp

Tamarind – amla size

In a pressure cooker , heat the oil, sputter the vadagam, pepper, jeera, fenugreek seeds,chillies in the order mentioned. Then , add the dall and fry it till golden yellow. Add adequate water , cook with onion, garlic and tomato. When cooked well, add salt and tamarind and give a stir with hand blender.(Back home my amma does it with maththu and kal chatti. The tasty varutha paruppu kuzhambu is ready.I am happy to share my favourite menu with all of you. Give it a try and you are sure to thank me.

11 thoughts on “Varutha Paruppu Kuzhambu”

Hello,
Thanks for the great site & delicious recipes.
I want to try this recipe but do not have vadagams, Can I substitute anything for it without compromising the taste ???
Also can I buy these in an Indian grocery store If not Can you please let me now the method how to prepare these & store.
Your response is very much appreciated.
Thanks
Aruna

I AM FROM SOUTH AFRICA, TRIED TO GET THIS RECIPE. MY MOM USED TO MAKE THIS, BUT COULD NOT SPELL THE NAME RIGHT. AT LAST I AM SO HAPPY, TO FIND YOU. AMMA DIED 25 YRS AGO . THANKS, WILL TRY AND MAKE VADAGAMS FOR MY PARUPPU